Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $529 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $843 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.25

$1.96 ฿65.9

39.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.00 PEN 95.0

$18.35 ฿617

52.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 PEN 23.79

$7.48 ฿252

-6.28%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PEN 6.72

$2.02 ฿67.8

-1.98%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$0.85 ฿28.52

-16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 PEN 1.48

$0.36 ฿11.97

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$2.14 ฿71.9

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.90

$3.59 ฿121

5.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.81

$1.65 ฿55.5

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PEN 7.66

$1.57 ฿52.7

43.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.09

$1.19 ฿40.05

0.84%

Eggs

$2.28 PEN 7.73

$1.94 ฿65.1

17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 PEN 27.44

$16.19 ฿545

-50.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 PEN 19.39

$2.99 ฿101

91.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 PEN 26.58

$10.94 ฿368

-28.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 PEN 6.91

$2.71 ฿91.2

-24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$1.17 ฿39.27

-40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$1.69 ฿56.8

-76.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.87

$1.60 ฿54.0

-28.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$1.38 ฿46.56

-48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PEN 1.77

$1.20 ฿40.47

-56.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.01

$0.67 ฿22.51

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$0.56 ฿18.74

44.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 PEN 19.34

$4.64 ฿156

22.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 PEN 24.93

$17.62 ฿593

-58.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PEN 5.72

$1.86 ฿62.6

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 PEN 8.57

$3.30 ฿111

-23.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 PEN 11.12

$1.36 ฿45.92

141.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.48

$1.34 ฿45.00

64.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 PEN 28.79

$8.21 ฿276

3.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$1.22 ฿41.20

12.30%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.8K PEN 67.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-7.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.2K PEN 82.1K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

7.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$56.1 PEN 190

$70.7 ฿2,378

-20.67%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.48 PEN 42.33

$14.04 ฿472

-11.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 PEN 81.4

$17.49 ฿589

37.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 PEN 23.28

$5.92 ฿199

15.88%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$214 PEN 728

$309 ฿10.4K

-30.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,047 PEN 27.3K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-45.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.42 PEN 168

$55.8 ฿1,876

-11.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.25 PEN 123

$26.11 ฿879

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 PEN 301

$83.0 ฿2,793

6.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 PEN 309

$70.5 ฿2,371

29.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

$822 ฿27.7K

-53.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 PEN 1,584

$579 ฿19.5K

-19.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

102.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 24% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Cerro de Pasco vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Cerro de Pasco wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cerro de Pasco vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $794 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $529 in Cerro de Pasco and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.